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Agatha Christie's Greenway (Devon, England) - The House

I can think of two places that we visited where I enjoyed the house more than the gardens. The first was Greenway, not for the house itself, which was surprisingly small and cramped, but for the history behind it and the fascinating mementos on display. Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan were enthusiastic collectors. You can see their collections on display throughout the house - European and Oriental ceramics, pottery, African tribal masks, Egyptian artifacts, Tunbridge ware, china, trinkets, and books. The Morning Room has a portrait of Agatha Christie as a child and her doll Rosie, sitting in a chair - The Drawing Room was where the family would gather in the evenings. Christie would entertain guests by reading chapters from manuscripts of her latest books.  Agatha Christie's bedroom. Max always slept on a smaller portable traveling cot (you can see part of it in the foreground). It was his favorite bed and he carried it with him on all of his archaeological travels. N...
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Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - August 2022

Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus)

Is it the 15th already? Yes it is. Time for Garden Blogger's Bloom Day. I haven't had a chance to photograph everything in the garden so I just have a few this month. For more gardens and bloom, check out May Dreams Gardens.

My favorite plant at the moment is the amazing Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus), pictured above and below. I absolutely love this plant and so do the bees. I hate that I don't have the variety name. Another view -


Allium 'Milennium'

'Casa Blanca' Lily

Canna 'Panache'

Four O'Clocks (Mirabilia jalapa)

Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)


Rugosa Rose 'Purple Pavement'

Rose 'Marie Pavie'

Zooming in, you can see flowers forming on  Clerodendrum trichotomum 
(Harlequin Glorybower) (Peanut Butter Tree)


Rose 'Ballerina'

Rose 'Lady Emma Hamilton'

Rose 'Lady of Shalott'

Fuchsia 'Lady Boothby'

A very unusual fuchsia, Creeping Fuchsia (Fuchsia procumbens)



Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Kris PetersonAugust 15, 2022 at 8:28 PM

    All your Bloom Day selections are fabulous, Phillip. I've begun to despair that my Chaste Tree will ever grow up to look anything like yours. After nearly 5 years in the ground I don't think mine is over a foot tall - it's not dead but I don't think it likes SoCal at all. Ditto with respect to my 'Lady Emma Hamilton' rose but then I'm coming close to giving up all my roses...

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  2. AnonymousAugust 16, 2022 at 10:58 AM

    The best fragrance comes from the Rugosa Rose 'Purple Pavement', but it's 'Lady Emma Hamilton' that wins by a (color) knock-out! And as impressive as Joe-Pye is, it's Pan's tradescantia pallida throne that totally stole the show for me.
    chavli

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  3. Hoover BooAugust 16, 2022 at 6:40 PM

    Your Vitex looks great. 'Lady Emma' another highlight. Looks like your garden is standing up to summer, no problem. Hope you have a beautiful rest of summer, and then the colors of autumn to anticipate!

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  4. YvonneAugust 19, 2022 at 8:50 PM

    The beautiful mixture of blooming plants makes your garden look so inviting. The Chaste Tree is an amazing accent.

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